As I sit here in my partially packed dorm room, my roommate having already mostly moved out, it begins to hit me. I’m graduating this weekend from college. It seems like just yesterday I was tossing my hat up for my high school graduation and now I’m preparing to graduate from university. Crazy how time flies. Graduating would be much more exciting if I knew what my future held for me- but what would be the fun in knowing what I’m doing with my life… It’ll all work out, but now seems like a good time to reflect on the past four years.
It all started when I moved into Swanson Hall freshman year. I was introduced to my roommate and my suite-mates (one of which would become my roommate for the next three years). I remember going to my very first class as a college student, being scared to be on my own, being scared that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with college classes. Soon all those fears passed (after a few pep talks from some of my oldest friends) and I began to grow. I learned some fun skills in my photojournalism classes from award winning photographer Fr. Don Doll, I learned how to use the adobe creative suite, I learned everything there is to know about Greek Art, I learned new things from my core classes, and I struggled through my Philosophy classes. Through all of this I came to grow as a student and as a person. However I must say that most of the growing and emerging into adulthood didn’t happen until I studied abroad. It was then that I truly learned how to be independent and discovered who I truly am.
My college years just flew right by and I feel like I could have used this time in better ways, but at the end of the day this is how I spent the past four years and there’s nothing I can do to change it and I can’t complain about who I am and where I’m at right now so I must have done something right. I tend to think about what could have been when it comes to the last four years; things I could have majored in, groups I could have joined, places I could have been. But the last four years have been a big stepping stone for me and I think I’ve come out of my college career ready to move on to the next step. I also have had the realization that maybe just maybe undergraduate life isn’t supposed to prepare you for a job, but it is to prepare you for real life. I’ve learned more life skills during college (more while abroad than stateside) and I feel like even though I don’t know what I’m doing I might at least know how to get there once an opportunity arises.
Overall the benefits of my college career outweigh the regrets. If I had done things differently I wouldn’t have my amazing barn family and I wouldn’t have gone to London, two things I wouldn’t change for the world. I will be proud to walk across that stage and accept my diploma in front of my classmates and family. Thank you to everyone who helped me on this four year journey through college. I can’t thank my family and friends enough for helping me to follow my dreams. Also- shout out to my horse and barn family who kept me sane through it all (mini-shout out to Ross Nye Stables in London whose ponies kept me sane during my time abroad). Happy graduation class of 2014, don’t focus on the ‘what ifs’ but on what we accomplished in college because it kinda is a big deal. We did it!
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